We are is deeply concerned that 'health tourism' is being given even more emphasis under the latest Budget.

In May 2001, the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) already voiced our fears when there were plans to allow healthcare services to be advertised in a move to boost the tourism industry. This was following an announcement by then Health Minister Chua Jui Meng that the government would amend the Medical Act 1971 and the Medicines (Sales and Advertisement) Act 1956 to enable 'aggressive marketing' of healthcare services.

When we queried the Health Ministry on the need for health tourism, we were told that it was to 'challenge international competition'! CAP fails to understand why there is a need for such a challenge, especially in the area of healthcare.

Parliamentary secretary Lee Kah Choon was quoted in the press in February this year as saying: 'In order to promote medical tourism in a more active and co-ordinated manner, we need to set up the council with full-time staff to solely handle medical health promotions ... We see a big potential and we want to get more foreigners to come here for medical check-ups and treatment'.

CAP's is concerned about the effect this move will have on Malaysians. Our healthcare system at present is already faced with critical challenges of its own. We have a significant shortage of medical officers, specialists and other key healthcare personnel such as nurses in the public sector.

Patients who depend on the public healthcare system are still being faced with long waiting periods for certain surgeries and treatment. These patients sometimes have no choice but to seek treatment at private healthcare facilities, even if the charges at these facilities are something they can ill-afford.

As patient load and services at private healthcare facilities increase due to aggressive promotion of services, we foresee that charges for treatment will go up significantly. The private sector will also have increased needs for medical staff and will move to attract staff from government hospitals. At the moment, government hospitals are not in a position to match the remunerations offered.

We are also bound to see unethical practices and unhealthy competition increase as personnel pay more attention to the profit-making potential of healthcare. Misleading advertising occurs, while there is no realistic prospect of sound enforcement

CAP calls on the government to reconsider and divert its existing resources to address the shortcomings in the present healthcare system.

The writer is the President of the Consumers Association of Penang.